


ferocity

by ButcherKnives



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: 5 year old Nero, Alternate Universe, Dadgil, Drabble, Established Relationship, F/M, Gen, M/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:07:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28322112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ButcherKnives/pseuds/ButcherKnives
Summary: The creak of the bedroom door alerts you both of a tiny intruder who pads his way through the shadows on the very balls of his feet. His outline, no more than half of the height of the door, is shrouded as you attempt to adjust to the night, but you can see how slowly, how carefully he shuts the door behind himself in an effort to be polite.(Reader is gender neutral.)
Relationships: Vergil (Devil May Cry)/Reader, Vergil (Devil May Cry)/You
Comments: 10
Kudos: 101





	ferocity

**Author's Note:**

> **ANONYMOUS ASKED:**  
>  Hello there! I have a request that I was hoping you could do? I’d be so thrilled if you could write, like... a little drabble or ficlet or something with some Dadgil/Reader content? Maybe little Nero has a bad dream and Dadgil steps up to try and comfort him. I hope this isn’t too much of a request! Thank you so much for your writing and I hope you’re having a pleasant day~

The creak of the bedroom door alerts you both of a tiny intruder who pads his way through the shadows on the very balls of his feet. His outline, no more than half of the height of the door, is shrouded as you attempt to adjust to the night, but you can see how slowly, how _carefully_ he shuts the door behind himself in an effort to be polite.

(His father’s always said to never leave doors open once you enter or exit and Nero tries to be a good boy. You can’t help but smile your affection even as you muddle through your exhaustion.)

You watch Vergil sit up. In your periphery, you see Nero freeze in place. _Caught_. You’re certain his cherub cheeks must be blossoming pink. How wide his eyes must be?

“Nero,” Vergil says, and you can hear the baritone gravel of sleep in his tone. “Why have you come?”

There’s a pause. Nero’s hands lower to his sides, shoulders hunching in self-protective guilt before he whispers across the stretch of darkness an earnest reply. “I had a bad dream.”

Empathy takes ahold of your heart and you react before Vergil does. Throwing back the quilt, you wave Nero over with honey-sweet understanding. “C’mere, sweetheart,” you say, your hand extended through the darkness.

And his excitement is immediate. Nero's posture loosens as he climbs into the bed, crawling inelegantly over your legs to plop himself between you and his father. He’s squirming to get comfortable, rocking from side to side, wiggling his shoulders, and you bite back a charmed giggle.

You find him endearing.

“Wanna tell us about it?” you ask then, rolling onto your side as you reach out to brush your fingers through his snowy bangs. Nero melts beneath the solace; sinks further as if to bury himself in the bedsprings. “Maybe we can help, hm?”

"Mm," Nero hums in thought. He glances up at Vergil as if for approval, then over to you before he nods his slow admission. “I dreamed about a big monster. It came in the house to eat me up. It had really big teeth and claws and a mean-ugly-scary face. You’n’dad weren’t home, so I had to run away but I couldn’t run really-really fast! And then! And, and then... I went in the shower but the monster still finded me…” His small voice fades as he blinks back the tears that touch his lashes.

Compassion is a sharp hold that constricts your heart. You smooth your hand over his round cheek and shush him on an exhale. “It’s okay,” you murmur.

“Your nightmares can’t harm you.” Vergil faces you both, and although his fatigue is evident in the shade of his pale eyes, in the telltale sigh of his voice, he holds no trace of irritation. “No matter how real they feel, or how much they may frighten you, you’re safe from harm.”

Nero turns his doe gaze up to his father. “I know,” he says, quiet, sheepish as he rubs his nose with the back of his fist. “But it was really, reeeally scary.”

Vergil tips his chin while he ruminates. “We wouldn't leave you alone in the house," and although he doesn't say it, you innately understand his resolution. "Nothing can pass the threshold without our knowledge.”

Smiling, you wrap your arms around Nero’s narrow waist. “Yep, that's right! And we’ll vanquish any monsters that come to eat our baby.” You yank him against you and he squeals, his writhing turning to bubbling giggles as you pretend to bite his neck. “Because I’ll eat you first!”

Vergil lies back down against the mattress. He shifts to rest on his shoulder, observing with an arduous stare that breathes warmth into your chest. “You have nothing to fear,” Vergil’s saying to his son. Nero hiccups, yet listens with rapt attention. “Within you flows the blood of Sparda. You’re more formidable than any monster that would dare threaten you harm.”

“I... I am?”

“Yes,” he answers. “So should you have that nightmare again, tell it who you are.”

Nero shifts until his back is pressed against you. He’s facing his father, and although you can’t see his face, you _are_ able to see Vergil’s. There’s a quiet intensity there, focused and encouraging; expectation and pride gleam in the moonlit reflection.

“I’m Nero.” Confidence swells in his young voice. “And I’m gonna kick its big butt!”

Vergil’s smirks and you burst into laughter. Nero is too cute. Unable to resist, you bury your nose in Nero’s hair with a tight, adoring squeeze. “That’s right,” you say. “Tell them who’s boss.”

“Ferocious,” Vergil agrees. “Next time, it will be running from you.”

Wordless, Nero reaches for Vergil’s hand. You can see his fingers curl around two of Vergil’s, and through the darkness, you catch Vergil’s rare, tender smile.

Love settles in smoldering embers through your roots. Here, deep into the evening where only the three of you rest, Vergil feels safe enough to entrust you with his honest vulnerability. And within his son’s grasp, peace envelops the room.

You fall asleep as a family.

**Author's Note:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this and wanted to share it to AO3.
> 
> If you've enjoyed, don't forget to leave kudos/comment, and if you're interested in seeing more, take a peek at my Tumblr @[butcherknives](http://butcherknives.tumblr.com). I fill requests and drop my writing there.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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